Squarespace vs Format: Cost and Fees Calculator
Enter your volumes to compare estimated monthly costs and fees for Squarespace and Format across the selling types both offer, using published US pricing.
Selling online (eCommerce)
Estimates combine processing fees and monthly subscriptions on the plans noted above. One-time hardware, setup, and add-ons are excluded. Rates are published or typical US pricing as of mid-2026 and may have changed.
How the Squarespace vs Format calculator works, and how the two compare
Squarespace is a design-led website builder favored by creatives, with commerce plans that carry no platform transaction fee. Squarespace Commerce Basic runs around $28 per month billed annually with 0% platform fee and card processing at 2.9% + $0.30; the cheaper Business plan adds a 3% platform transaction fee. Format is a portfolio website builder for photographers and artists with a built-in store option. Format plans run around $12 to $25 per month with store features on higher tiers and processing via Stripe or PayPal at 2.9% + $0.30.
How they are similar: Where they overlap: both Squarespace and Format cover selling online, which is what this calculator compares. They also share the same commercial model: both operate as a subscription platform where you pay a monthly plan plus payment processing. In both cases the bill is driven by a percentage of each sale plus any fixed per-transaction fee, which is why your average transaction size changes the effective rate as much as the headline percentage does.
How they differ: Squarespace wins on design polish and simplicity for brand-led stores, but it has no app marketplace to speak of and its commerce depth trails Shopify and BigCommerce. Format is a portfolio first and a shop second: ideal for selling prints alongside your work, but not built for catalog retail.
Assumptions used in this calculator
- Squarespace is modeled on: Commerce Basic around $28 per month annually, 0% platform fee, 2.9% + $0.30 processing.
- Format is modeled on: From around $12 per month, store on higher tiers, processing 2.9% + $0.30.
- Rates are published or typical US pricing as of mid-2026 and change often; quote-based providers are modeled at representative rates. Always confirm current pricing with the provider.
- One-time hardware, setup, add-on apps, keyed-in transactions, international cards, and chargeback fees are excluded from the monthly figures.